High Number of Hand, Foot and Mouth

By: Boone County Health Center

Boone County Health Center (BCHC) has seen a high number of patients with a sickness called hand, foot and mouth disease lately.

This sickness is caused by a virus spread from person to person through bodily fluids such as spit, pee, stool and throw up. It often causes a fever, reduced hunger, sore throat, and a feeling of not being well. One or two days after the fever starts, a rash often shows up on the hands and feet as well as sores in the mouth.

“People are most likely to spread hand, foot and mouth disease before they show any signs of having it,” said Clinic Nurse Supervisor Lacy Bottorf. “The best way to keep from getting hand, foot, and mouth disease is through good health habits such as washing hands after going to the bathroom or changing a diaper, after blowing the nose or coughing/sneezing on hands and before eating.”

BCHC providers have said patients with hand, foot and mouth disease must be fever free for 24 hours, without the use of Tylenol or ibuprofen, before going back to school or daycare.